Startup Announces the World’s First Automated Cannabis Farm

This new automated cannabis farm project could fundamentally change the way we view automated agriculture. ¦ Pixabay

Seedo, an Israeli-based startup, is developing a fully automated cannabis farm to help provide cannabis to the already rapidly growing marijuana industry.

The startup Seedo wants to take the guesswork out of weed growing. With its flagship product, the company created a mini-fridge-sized machine that automates the weed growing process for home farmers.

Designed to ensure the crops’ optimum growth, the fridge-sized device analyzes and determines what the cannabis plants need to thrive.

Already, the company is shipping the home farm device from Isreal to various parts of the world, including the United States. Last month, the company shipped its first unit to customers in California.

But the Isreal-based company isn’t done yet.

Seedo’s home farming device. Photo: Raz Menashe

Recent reports reveal that the company is ready to take its tech to the next level. In a move that could change the future of the marijuana industry, Seedo just announced what may be the world’s first automated cannabis farm.

A Joint Venture

On March 19, Seedo announced its partnership with a community in Isreal, Kibbutz Dan, to build a fully automated commercial scale cannabis farm.

The video, which came with the announcement, revealed that the cannabis farm would consist of a series of shipping container-sized units. Within each of these container units will be enough cannabis plants to yield as much as 360 pounds of marijuana every year.

How does the planting process work, you wonder?

According to the company, each container comes with robotic arms to handle the physical aspect of cultivation. Meanwhile, farmers can keep an eye on the whole operation using a system of cameras within the unit.

With machine learning software serving as the farm’s brain, not only would the crops enjoy optimal growing conditions, but farmers can reap a bountiful harvest too.

The Growing Marijuana Industry

According to estimates, the global cannabis market could grow from $17 billion in 2019 to $50 billion by 2029. While $19 billion of this will be from the medical marijuana market, the remaining $31 billion in worldwide revenue will come from recreational pot use.

By automating the growing process within a climate-controlled unit, Seedo would achieve a high-quality uniform yield that’s entirely pest free. In a statement to the press, Seedo CEO Zohar Levy said:

“We’ve built our commercial-scale system to reflect our philosophy that technology can provide precise and reliable results without sacrificing yield.”

The company estimates that the joint venture would yield at least 14 tons of dry cannabis buds within the first three years – enough to generate $24 million in revenue. Needless to say that hitting this projected revenue will have a heavy impact on the marijuana industry.